In the Flesh

It’s the end of the world, Lis, screw it! Get us some biscuits as well.

– Thought you were on a diet, Meg? – I am, but I want biscuits.

– I got you some shortbread. – Caramel ones?

No, they don’t have any of those. They’ve got Caramels.

What!

If you stick them both together in your gob it’s the same thing.

Very funny.

Kieren.

It’s all right.

It’s all right.

It’s OK.

Good.

Another involuntary recurrent memory?

– They’re getting more vivid. – That’s a good sign.

Means the cognitive circuitry’s connecting again.

Like a computer rebooting.

Maybe it means I’m not ready?

– No, it means the opposite. – No, I don’t feel ready.

That’s exactly why you’re ready. You’re feeling.

It’s not just the flashbacks.

The medication, all the side effects.

It means your brain’s responding. Repairing.

That’s a positive.

Count yourself lucky.

You don’t want to be a patient who doesn’t respond to Neurotriptyline.

Where do they go? The ones that don’t respond?

We take care of them.

Your parents are looking forward to seeing you again.

– Why wouldn’t they? – Because I’m a zombie.

And I killed people.

Kieren, what are you?

Look at me. You are a…

I am a Partially Deceased Syndrome sufferer.

And?

And what I did in my Untreated State

was not my fault.

Good.

Could you maybe talk to someone? To get more time.

It’s good for you, going home. Next.

Next.

Name?

Kieren Walker.

Blue or brown?

Did you have blue or brown eyes?

Brown.

Next!

Patients to Administration Room 12.

“The righteous perish

“and no one ponders it in his heart.

“Devout men are taken away

“and no-one understands

“that the righteous are taken away

“to be spared from evil.

“Those that walk uprightly

“enter unto peace.

“They find rest

“as they lie in death.

– Neighbours are lovely, aren’t they? – They are very nice.

Here we are.

Fantastic room if you have children or guests.

Or strangers round ever.

Do the fittings come included?

What you see is what you get.

Someone likes to rock and roll, eh?

Jem, we’re coming in.

There’s a party going on! All the people are dancing.

A psycho killer bursts in and starts shooting everyone.

Only one survives…

Mr “Fuck Off Right Now”!

She doesn’t come included!

– We’ve got a couple of dogs. – It’s dog city round here.

There’s quite a few.

I thought the Human Volunteer Force had disbanded.

No, round here they’re still going strong.

You’ve got a beautiful home.

It’s just we’re looking for something…

We were looking for something more…

Remote?

So are we.

They must have one, too.

We should start lowering the asking price.

He can’t come back here.

He’s just going to have to, Steve.

Pull any of that crap again, and you’ll be seriously grounded.

Instead of what, Dad? Hilariously grounded?

– I mean it. – Shaking.

Listen, Jemima before you leave…

Tomorrow…

we’ve got to go to Norfolk to pick up your…

– No way. – You don’t have to come.

But it’s just me and your dad, we thought it would be nice if you…

I hate that she still wears that bloody armband 24-7.

She’ll come around.

At least the drive to Norfolk’s quite scenic.

The worst side effects, for me,

are the flashbacks.

It’s always of the last person I…

When…

When I was in my Untreated State.

Me and another dead PDS sufferer,

we hunted together

and we went to this supermarket and this girl was there and…

It’s so vivid what we did, what I did to her.

And the guilt, it’s crippling.

But I guess I deserve it.

Mate, if you hadn’t have fed on her,

you’d have rotted away yourself.

You shouldn’t feel guilty.

What? They killed us too during the Rising.

They’d shoot us without a second thought.

Oh no, that’s defending humanity…

That’s OK. That’s not murder, that’s being a hero.

While they get medals, we get medicated.

Without medication we’d go back to being rabid.

– Maybe that’s a better state to be in. – God, you’re such an idiot, Alex.

I’m an idiot?

I’m not the one who took acid four years ago

and thought she could fly way up to the sky.

All right, that’s enough.

That’s enough.

Look, you’re all on edge. Because of Sunday.

Right? Am I right?

It’s OK to be nervous about going back.

You know you get in your cover-up mousse and…

I see a couple of you have started wearing your contact lenses.

– How are they feeling? – A bit unnatural.

Smiles. Good, keep it up.

Sunday.

You’re seeing your family and friends again.

Can’t wait.

Kieren, who are you looking forward to seeing?

My little sister.

Here she is. The Rambo of Roarton, eh?

Yes, Bill?

Pint of bitter for me,

and a cider for this trigger-happy honey.

Six pounds, please, love.

– You what? – Six pound for the drinks, love.

But your sign…

They’re having to come down today.

Some of you are bleeding me dry.

If it hadn’t been for my fighters, this place would be rubble

and you wouldn’t be here charging me, I can tell you that much!

– I’ll get this one in, eh? – Can you believe the disrespect?

Things are moving on, I suppose. Rising were years ago.

What are we? Fucking Southerners?

Roarton’s sacrifice will never be forgotten.

As long as I draw breath.

Too right.

HVF! HVF!

Your patrol rotas for the week ahead.

Lying bastard government says there’s no more rotters in the woods,

but we know better.

What about ones on drugs?

What about ’em?

– I heard they’re coming back. – In cities, Daz.

They wouldn’t put treated here.

– They wouldn’t dare. – Don’t count on it.

You heard summat, Sarge?

I’ll say this…

A rotter’s a rotter, drugs or no drugs.

If there’s any round there, we’ll deal with them.

Your report everything that you see.

That said…

New walkies? Council splashing out?

Yeah, right. These came out me own pocket.

– Thanks, they’re tidy. – Right swish.

You want one of these?

Yeah, sorry.

– Summat on your mind, sweetheart? – No, nothing.

You know, just stuff.

I do know.

Anniversary of the Rising coming up.

Lots of memories.

To the fallen.

To the fallen.

– Nervous? – Yeah, a bit nervous.

What did he say?

He says he’s looking forward to seeing me.

You asked Keith about the riots, when they started putting us back?

Yeah, he says you’re talking bollocks.

Course he did. He’s one of them, the living.

Can’t trust a word they say.

Here’s a guy you can trust.

It’s that guy I’ve been going on about.

The Undead Prophet.

Here’s his website.

When you get home, check him out.

He’ll blow your mind.

Shot time.

Nurse, next.

What have you taken?

Reload the Neurotriptyline.

Let’s double dosage.

Nurse, it’s my room-mate,

I think he’s taken something.

Your arm, please.

Put you to sleep.

Guard!

He bit me.